Paleo Smoky Ham Chowder

Description

I was trying to use up a ham shank and honor my New Year’s resolution to eat low-carb. The result is a yummy and hearty winter soup, chock-full of rich, smoky flavor and chunks of veggies and ham. You won’t even miss the carbs!

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¾ cup diced yellow onion
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 (1 1/2) pound meaty ham shank
  • 3 cups diced sweet potato, or more to taste, divided
  • 1 head cauliflower, chopped, divided
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, or to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add onion and celery; saute until onion begins to soften
  2. 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant
  3. about 1 minute. Transfer onion mixture to a bowl.
  4. Add broth and ham shank to the same pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low
  5. cover
  6. and simmer until ham is tender and falling off the bone
  7. about 1 hour. Transfer ham and bone to a plate. Chop ham when cool enough to handle. Discard bone.
  8. Add onion mixture to the broth
  9. along with 1/2 of the sweet potato
  10. 1/2 of the cauliflower
  11. and bay leaf. Bring to a boil
  12. then reduce heat to medium and cook until vegetables are tender
  13. about 10 minutes. Remove from heat
  14. discard bay leaf
  15. and use emulsion blender to blend until smooth.
  16. Add remaining potatoes and cauliflower and bring to a simmer. Cook until vegetables are tender
  17. 10 to 15 minutes. Add ham
  18. liquid smoke
  19. salt
  20. and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley.

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 40 mins

Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins

Servings: 8

Leave a Comment